LOS ANGELES — The Philadelphia Phillies tried to tell everyone they wouldn’t panic.

No one believed it.

They kept saying that maybe a change of scenery to Dodger Stadium would relax them.

No one believed it.

They insisted that their powerful trio of All-Star hitters would break out.

No one believed it.

When the Philadelphia Phillies lined up Wednesday night on the Dodger Stadium field for handshakes, blasting the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 53,689, they suddenly have a whole lot of believers.

The Phillies still are in trouble, of course, trailing the Dodgers 2-1 in this best-of-five National League Division Series, with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9 at Dodger Stadium.

Yet, they are alive.

And they also have that dynamic the Dodgers badly wanted to prevent.

Momentum.

“Momentum’s always something that you don’t know if it’s real or not,’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said before the game. “You definitely feel it, though, as a player in certain situations, you feel the momentum change.

‘Obviously we want to finish this tonight, and we don’t want to let anything slip away from us. That’s one of those things, when you talk about momentum, if you don’t finish it tonight, you feel like it’s slipping away. That’s definitely not something you want to have happen.’

Well, it happened.

“We want to put these guys away,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game, “and don’t let them up for air.’

Well, after what transpired Wednesday, the Phillies suddenly have confidence too.

The Phillies, whose season was on life support after losing the first two games in front of their home crowd at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, believe they can pull this off.

After all, they became the first team in two weeks to beat the defending World Series champions, snapping the Dodgers’ nine-game winning streak.

While Ranger Suarez was brilliant in his five-inning outing coming in relief for Aaron Nola in the third inning, it was the Phillies’ powerful trio who reminded everyone just what they’re capable of doing to the opposition.

Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, who were in a 2-for-21 skid entering the game, put on a power-hitting clinic for everyone to see.

There was Schwarber hitting two home runs, including a 455-foot blast in the fourth inning, with three RBIs.

Turner, who produced three hits and two RBI, broke the game open in the Phillies’ five-run eighth.

There was Harper who had a two-hit game and reached base three times.

Just like that, the Phillies looked like well … the Phillies.

They made sure that Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who entered the game with a 0.66 ERA in his last six starts, couldn’t make it out of the fifth inning.

It began with Schwarber, who had been hitless in his last 22 at-bats when he stepped up to the plate to lead off the fourth. The slump ended with one majestic swing of the bat.

Schwarber sent Yamamoto’s fastball nearly out of the stadium, landing 455 feet into the right-field pavillion. It was hit so far, and so hard (117-mph), that Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez didn’t move.

Just like that, the Phillies’ bats awoke.

Harper, who had also been handcuffed this series, followed by slapping a single to left field. Byson Stott singled and when Harper headed to third, center fielder Andy Pages tried to get him. The ball instead sailed past third baseman Max Muncy and bounced into the Dodgers’ dugout, scoring Harper with Stott advancing to third. Brandon Marsh made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Yamamoto came out for the fifth, but was immediately greeted by with singles by Bryson Stott and Trea Turner knocking him out of the game. It was his shortest outing since June 1.

The Phillies, after a double steal, then had a golden opportunity to blow open the game against left-handed reliever Anthony Banda. Yet, Schwarber struck out. Harper hit a shallow pop-up to right field. And after Bohm was intentionally walked, loading the bases, Brandon Marsh struck out on three pitches. Well, technically two ptiches – with Marsh being charged with an automatic strike on a pich clock violation.

The Phillies threatened again in the seventh inning off three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw coming into the game relief, with a leadoff single by Turner and a walk by Schwarber. But Harper flied out to right, and then Schwarber was picked off first base when he wandered too far, and the opportunity ended on Brandon Marsh’s line drive to right.

Finally, they broke through in the eighth on J.T. Realmuto’s homer, Turner’s two-run single, and a two-run homer by Schwarber.

Who knows what can happen now, with Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts vividly remembering the feeling of struggling in the postseason before ending his slump last year.

“I’ve been there…,’ Betts said. “When you get in that rut and it seems like it’s quicksand. No matter what you do you just can’t get out of it. It’s tough. Hell, I didn’t get out of it. So I have no advice or anything. I mean, shoot, I would have if I knew what to do.

“Good luck to those guys and we’ll see if they have the answer.”

For one night, they certainly did.

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Here’s how Wednesday’s game unfolded:

Kyle Schwarber home run blows it open

Coming back out for a second inning, Clayton Kershaw gave up a leadoff home run to J.T. Realmuto. He then walked Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos reached on an error before Bryson Stott bunted them to second and third. With one out, Trea Turner hit a two-RBI single to make it 6-1 Phillies. Then, Kyle Schwarber delivered his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that extended Philadelphia’s lead to 8-1.

Clayton Kershaw comes out of the bullpen

Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Dave Roberts brought Clayton Kershaw out of the bullpen for his first appearance of the 2025 postseason. Kershaw was met with the Phillies’ best hitters and gave up a leadoff single to Trea Turner before walking Kyle Schwarber. The veteran left-hander got Bryce Harper to fly out and then Schwarber was picked off in a baserunning blunder for the second out.

After intentionally walking Alec Bohm, Kershaw retired Brandon Marsh on a hard-hit line drive to right, getting out of the inning without allowing a run.

Kershaw, retiring at the end of the season, won three Cy Youngs and an MVP award, surely heading for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Phillies still lead 6-1 in the sixth

Anthony Banda (fifth) and Jack Dreyer (sixth) put up zeroes relieving Yoshinobu Yamamoto, managing to keep the Phillies from adding insurance runs despite Philadelphia loading the bases in the fifth.

Phillies ambush Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fourth

Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth home run led off the top of the fourth and tied the game. The next batter, Bryce Harper, singled and then scored as a result of Andy Pages’ throwing error on Alec Bohm’s single. The ball went out of play and moved Bohm to third and Brandon Marsh brought him home with a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning. J.T. Realmuto hit a ground-rule double but Yamamoto got Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos to end the frame with the Phillies up 3-1.

Kyle Schwarber home run ties it up

Leading off the fourth inning, Kyle Schwarber hit a 455-foot homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto to tie the game.

The Phillies slugger had been stuck in an 0-for-23 slump having led the Natioinaln League with 56 home runs in the regular season.

Tommy Edman home run welcomes Ranger Suarez

Phillies manager Rob Thomson stuck with his plan to limit Aaron Nola’s exposure and pulled the right-hander after two innings to put in southpaw Ranger Suarez.

On Suarez’s first pitch of the night, switch-hitter Tommy Edman hit a solo home run to left field, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the third.

Meanwhile, Yoshinobu Yamamoto held the Phillies hitless through three innings.

Aaron Nola escapes first-inning jam

Dodgers-Phillies Game 3 underway in Los Angeles

Yoshinobu Yamamoto worked around Bryce Harper’s two-out walk to toss a scoreless first at Dodger Stadium.

In his second year after signing a $325 million contract before throwing an MLB pitch, the Japanese right-hander was the Dodgers’ ace this season with an All-Star nod and a 2.49 ERA.

Phillies lineup today

Trea Turner (R) SS
Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
Bryce Harper (L) 1B
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Brandon Marsh (L) CF
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Max Kepler (L) LF
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
Bryson Stott (L) 2B

Dodgers lineup today

Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Mookie Betts (R) SS
Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Will Smith (R) C
Enrique Hernández (R) LF
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Andy Pages (R) CF
Tommy Edman (S) 2B

Will Smith returns to Dodgers lineup

The Dodgers’ All-Star catcher is in the starting lineup for the first time this postseason in Game 3, coming off the bench in each of the first two games in the series. Smith had missed nearly a month with a hand fracture.

‘The at-bats have been fantastic especially considering the arms that he’s had to face coming into both those games and the lay-off,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Game 3.

‘If I didn’t feel he could finish a game I wouldn’t have started him. I feel good. He’s in a good spot. I think the at-bat quality has been great.’

The proverbial “lights-out bullpen” is the desire of every Major League Baseball playoff team. Yet it doesn’t take much for the indicator lights on the dashboard to start blinking.

The Seattle Mariners found this out in Game 4 of their American League Division Series when they bumped up against the two f-words of postseason relief.

Familiarity. And fatigue.

They were up three runs and just 15 outs from dispatching the Detroit Tigers and claiming the first spot in the AL Championship Series when the diminishing returns of relief pitching reared its head.

Detroit struck for seven runs over two innings against Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo, who’d been near-perfect in the first three games of the series, to salvage its season and send both teams winging it back to Seattle for a decisive Game 5.

Where presumed Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will await the Mariners.

That’s how quickly these things can turn: From comfortable lead and bullpen security blankets to lightning striking, the Tigers evening the series with a 9-3 victory that squares this ALDS 2-2.

And to think the Mariners nearly rocked these Tigers to sleep.

Comerica Park was a funeral parlor into the bottom of the fifth, with Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller outkicking his 2025 statistics to allow just two hits through four innings. Then things got loud – and unsuspecting fans were about to see nine unanswered runs on the board.

Dillon Dingler’s double scored Spencer Torkelson, who’d singled. It was 3-1. Dan Wilson, in his first full season as manager, prudently hooked Miller for the lefty Speier – only to get outflanked by his counterpart.

Sure, Speier had seen eight Tigers hitters in this series – and retired all eight of them, striking out four. But increased exposure brings adversity for even the more immortal pitchers.

‘There are no secrets,’ says Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, ‘when you get this deep into a series.’

And Speier suddenly looked like a mere mortal.

Hinch threw up righty-swinging Jahmai Jones to pinch-hit in Parker Meadows’ place, and he hooked an RBI double down the left field line. A 3-2 game.

No. 9 hitter Javy Baez reawakened the echoes of 2016 with a solid single to plate Jones. A 3-3 game.

Speier worked around a Baez stolen base, got a groundout, issued an intentional walk to Gleyber Torres and escaped the jam with the score tied.

That should have been it.

But Wilson opted to bring back Speier, despite having to sit down and run back out there, despite the familiarity that Greene might enjoy, having seen Speier twice already this series.

“Just trying to get it to the next guy. Just trying to get on base for the guys behind me,” the ever-humble Greene, 2 for 14 with no extra-base hits in the series before that at-bat, said after the game.

He did much more – clouting a Speier slider 454 feet into the right field seats. Suddenly, the Tigers had a lead for the first time since the 11th inning of Game 1.

Hey, no worries. Wilson simply turned to Eduard Bazardo, who’d pitched in Games 1, 2 and 3, who’d recorded seven outs and gave up just one hit.

Wilson was asked after the game if he was concerned that the Tigers had seen Speier twice and Bazardo three times before Game 4.

‘These guys have thrown the ball so well, and I don’t think that’s a risk,’ says Wilson. ‘These guys have done the job and thrown the ball extremely well, and today they just – they were able to get to us.’

The Tigers rocked Bazardo for four hits, including a Baez home run, fattening the lead and ensuring they’d only need closer Will Vest for one, not two innings.

Game 5?

Well, they’ll all have a day off as they hop from the D to the Pacific Northwest. The arms should ostensibly be rested. Skubal will be breathing fire, still stinging from his Game 2 loss.

The Mariners? They can only hope one more game of familiarity doesn’t set off the fireworks in Detroit’s lineup.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated in the visiting locker room after a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

The Blue Jays are moving on to the American League Championship Series after winning the ALDS 3-1.

The Canadian-Dominican player joined Fox Sports’ MLB postgame show while the team was still in the locker room. His teammates were pouring beer on his head as he mocked longtime Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling’s signature sign-off.

‘DAAAAAA YANKEES LOSE!’ Guerrero said.

Former Red Sox standout David Ortiz — who’s busted out the phrase several times before — joined in on the mocking of New York and asked Guerrero to do it again.

Yankees legends Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter were seated next to Ortiz and shown on camera, a slight smile on their faces — while clearly still disappointed in their former team’s elimination.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stats vs. Yankees

At-bats: 13
AVG: .615
HR: 3
RBI: 8
BB: 1
OPS: 1.908

Coach Bill Belichick has led North Carolina football to a disappointing 2-3 start in his first season.
Both Belichick and the university’s athletic director have publicly expressed their commitment to the program’s direction.
A planned ‘Hard Knocks’-style docuseries about the team on Hulu was reportedly scrapped.

North Carolina football has been quite disappointing in 2025, as coach Bill Belichick has led the program to a 2-3 start so far with blowout losses in each of its matchups with Power Four opponents.

With speculation stirring about Belichick’s future given his inexperience at the college level paired with a very disappointing start to his first season with the program, Belichick and North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham both expressed their confidence in the direction of the program on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

‘I’m fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here,’ Belichick said in a post from North Carolina on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bubba Cunningham added: ‘Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University.’

North Carolina’s program was set for a ‘Hard Knocks’-style docuseries on Hulu, but it was scrapped recently, according to multiple reports. North Carolina was previously set to be the program covered on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks,’ which also fell through due to reportedly a myriad of different reasons, including the apparent role of Belichick’s girlfriend, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.

North Carolina is coming off a 38-10 loss to Clemson, which led 28-3 after the first quarter. Power Four opponents have outscored the Tar Heels 120-33 this season.

North Carolina is set to travel to Cal for its first ACC road game on Oct. 17 after its bye week, with more controversy certain to follow the contentious coach throughout the year.

PHOENIX — Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally left Game 3 of the WNBA Finals with an apparent head injury on Wednesday night at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Sabally, who scored 24 points, left the game with 4:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Mercury forward went up for a shot and made contact with Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young. When Sabally came down from her elevation while simultaneously trying to grab an offensive rebound, she got tangled up with Young and fell to the ground. As she was falling, she made contact with Aces forward Kierstan Bell’s knee. Young was called for a loose-ball foul.

The foul was reviewed for a possible upgrade, but the call on the floor was upheld. Sabally stayed down for several minutes before rising to her feet and going down again. Sabally was on the ground for several more seconds before standing up again and walking to the tunnel with assistance. She did not return to the game, which the Mercury lost 90-88 to the Aces to go down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Mercury coach Nate Tibbets said in his postgame press conference that he went to the locker room postgame, but Sabally was not there. He didn’t have an update on the injury or her status for Game 4 on Friday.

“I would guess she got hit in the face or the head,’ Tibbets said later.

It’s unclear if Sabally will be able to play Friday. If she did suffer a head injury, she would likely enter the league’s concussion protocol, which requires multiple steps before participating in basketball activities. The gradual return to those activities can not begin until at least 24 hours after the concussion, there are no symptoms when the athlete is at rest and the player has been evaluated and cleared by a doctor, according to the policy.

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury were on the verge of another double-digit comeback victory in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.

Then Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson did what Wilson does best.

The Aces led by 17 points entering the fourth quarter before the Mercury tied it at 88 all with 5.0 seconds remaining. Then Wilson showed exactly why she’s the four-time MVP by knocking down a go-ahead jumper over the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner to reclaim the lead.

‘I just needed a bucket to go in,’ Wilson said postgame. ‘I didn’t really see who was in front of me. I didn’t care. This is the Finals, you’ve got to make shots.’

The No. 2 seed Aces are up 3-0 in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals following the 90-88 victory on Wednesday at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The Aces are one win from securing their third WNBA championship in four years and have a chance to close out the series on Friday in Game 4 in Phoenix. 

Wilson finished with a game-high 34 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Jackie Young added 21 points and nine assists and Jewell Loyd had 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

The Mercury were led by DeWanna Bonner’s 25 points off the bench. She had a chance at a catch and shoot as time expired which would have sent the game to overtime but it rimmed out. Satou Sabally had 24 points before exiting the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent head injury. Alyssa Thomas has 12 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.

GAME 2: Las Vegas Aces take 2-0 lead in WNBA Finals with Game 2 rout of Phoenix Mercury

Here’s what you need to know for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals:

Satou Sabally exits with apparent head injury

Satou Sabally exited the game in the fourth quarter after her head collided with Kierstan Bell’s knee. Sabally missed a layup attempt with 4:25 remaining in the contest. As she went up for an offensive rebound, Sabally’s arm got wrapped up by Aces guard Jackie Young, causing her to fall and collide with Bell’s knee on the way down. Young was called for a loose ball foul. Sabally exited with a team-high 24 points and five rebounds.

End of Q3: Aces 76, Mercury 59

A’ja Wilson continues to do A’ja Wilson things. The Aces center has a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds through three quarters, becoming the first player in WNBA Finals history to record three consecutive games with 25 or more points and 10 rebounds. 

Aces guard Jackie Young is closing in on a double-double with 15 points and nine assists. 

The turnovers are piling up for the Mercury. Phoenix is up 11 turnovers (four in the third quarter), leading to 16 points for the Aces. The Mercury have also left a lot of points at the free throw line, shooting 66.7% (12-of-18), the Mercury’s worst free throw performance this postseason. 

Mercury forward Satou Sabally has 19 points and five rebounds. DeWanna Bonner has 16 points and six rebounds. Alyssa Thomas is closing in on a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, but Thomas picked up her fourth personal foul with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter. 

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper has struggled to get going offensively in Game 3, shooting 3-of-10 from the field and 0-of-3 from the 3-point line. 

Halftime: Aces 55, Mercury 43

The Aces outscored the Mercury 29-20 in the second quarter to take a 12-point lead into halftime, marking the largest halftime lead by either team in the WNBA Finals. 

The Aces are getting it done by committee with 17 assists on 19 field goals in the first half. A’ja Wilson has a game-high 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Jackie Young is up to 11 points and eight assists. 

Satou Sabally has a team-high 15 points for the Mercury, while Alyssa Thomas added 11 points, six rebounds and and five assists. However, the Mercury were forced into seven first-half turnovers which led to 11 points. 

“We’re getting deflections. We’re making their looks very, very hard. We’ve just got to contain ourselves without fouling,” Wilson said of her team’s defensive effort in the first half. “This is the Finals and I’m trying to win a championship. If they say defense wins championship, then I’m all aboard.”

Both team’s benches have been a big storyline in the WNBA Finals and the Aces’ bench once again has the edge over Phoenix, outscoring the Mercury’s bench 18-10 so far. Jewell Loyd has 12 points off the bench, all scored in the first quarter from the 3-point line. Loyd is the first player in WNBA Finals history to score four 3s in the first quarter. 

DeWanna Bonner has given the Mercury productive minutes off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds in 13 minutes. Sami Whitcomb is still looking to get on the board and shot 0-of-3 from the 3-point line. 

The Aces are shooting a staggering 56.3% (9-of-16) from the 3-point line. The Mercury is 3-of-10 from beyond the arc.  

End of Q1: Aces 26, Mercury 23

The Aces led by as many as 13 points in the first quarter before the Mercury went on a 13-0 run to tie it up. Las Vegas has a three-point advantage heading into the second quarter. 

Aces guard Jewell Loyd was shooting lights out in the first quarter, dropping 12 points in seven minutes off the bench, shooting 4-of-5 from the 3-point line. A’ja Wilson added 10 points and five rebounds. 

Mercury forward Satou Sabally leads all scorers with 13 points, shooting 5-of-7 including a 3-pointer. DeWanna Bonner added five points and three rebounds off the bench while taking on the tall task of guarding A’ja Wilson. 

Mercury head coach called for technical foul

Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts was called for a technical foul with 53.3 seconds remaining in the first quarter after DeWanna Bonner was called for a foul on Aces center A’ja Wilson. Both Bonner and Tibbetts argued with the official after the call, resulting in Tibbetts getting T’d up. Wilson hit both free throws to put the Aces ahead 24-21.

Las Vegas builds early lead

We’re underway at Mortgage Matchup Center and the Aces have a 15-8 lead with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter. 

Aces center A’ja Wilson has a team-high seven points and four rebounds. Jewell Loyd added an instant punch of the bench, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers. She’s up to six points in two minutes off the bench. 

Satou Sabally leads the Mercury with five points, shooting 2-of-3 from the field including a 3-pointer. Alyssa Thomas added three points and one rebound.

What time is Mercury vs. Aces Game 3?

Game 3 of the WNBA Finals between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.

Where to watch WNBA Finals: TV, streaming for Game 3

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 8
Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
Location: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

WNBA starting lineups today

Here are the starting lineups for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals:

Las Vegas Aces starting lineup

Head coach: Becky Hammon

0 Jackie Young | G 6′ 0′ – Notre Dame
1 Kierstan Bell | F 6′ 1′ – Florida Gulf Coast
3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Baylor
12 Chelsea Gray | G 5′ 11′ – Duke
22 A’ja Wilson | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon
25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland

Phoenix Mercury injury report

The Mercury will have all players available for Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.

Las Vegas Aces roster

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson stats

Wilson averaged a league-leading 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists (ties her career-high), a league-leading 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals in 40 games this season. Wilson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the Aces’ first-round playoff series against the Seattle Storm, including a 38-point performance in Game 3, tying her playoff career high. Wilson averaged 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals in the Aces’ five-game semifinal series against the Indiana Fever, including a 35-point performance in the Aces’ decisive Game 5 overtime win. Wilson had 28 points and 14 rebounds in the Aces’ Game 2 win on Sunday.

Phoenix Mercury roster

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas stats

Thomas averaged 15.4 points, a league-leading 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 39 games (all starts) this season. The 33-year-old recorded eight triple-doubles in the regular season, a WNBA single-season record, in addition to one triple-double in the postseason. Thomas, who was traded to the Mercury in February following 11 seasons in Connecticut, scored 10 points, six rebounds and five assists in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.

Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper stats

Copper averaged 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 assists in 28 regular season games. Copper had 21 points and four rebounds in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals and followed up that performance with 23 points and three rebounds in Game 2.

Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally stats

Sabally recorded 22 points in the Mercury’s loss to the Aces on Sunday in Game 2, shooting 7-of-19 from the field and 2-of-9 from the 3-point line. Sabally averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 39 games (all starts), shooting 40.5% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point line.

2025 WNBA Finals schedule

How many games are in the WNBA Finals?

The league expanded the 2025 WNBA Finals from a best-of-five series to best-of-seven as the popularity and appetite for women’s basketball continues to skyrocket. ‘The incredible demand for WNBA basketball makes this the ideal time,’ WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said at the announcement in 2024.

‘It’s exciting to be part of the first one,’ Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said on Oct. 2. ‘We talk about how a best-of-five is a tough series. … We don’t know what a best-of-seven brings, but nothing changes. We still approach it the same way.’

WNBA champions by year

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The Cleveland Browns remain the most active NFL team on the trade market.

The Browns have agreed to trade CB Greg Newsome II to the Jacksonville Jaguars for CB Tyson Campbell, according to multiple reports. The two sides have also agreed to exchange draft picks as part of the deal. Jacksonville gets a 2026 sixth-round pick and Cleveland gets a 2026 seventh, according to multiple reports.

It’s the second trade in as many days for the Browns, who shipped Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

However, this time, Cleveland gets a player and picks in return.

Newsome had been a name rumored to watch as the 2025 NFL trade deadline approaches and the former No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is officially on the move. He joins a Jaguars team that just defeated the Chiefs on ‘Monday Night Football’ to improve to 4-1 on the season.

In 59 career games, Newsome has accounted for 178 total tackles, one sack, three interceptions, a defensive touchdown and 37 defended passes.

On his way to Cleveland is Campbell, a former second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has played in 60 career games and recorded 297 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six interceptions and 42 defended passes.

The trade between the two franchises comes about six months after the Browns sent the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Jaguars, who then selected cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter.

Jaguars, Browns trade details

Jaguars receive:

Greg Newsome II
2026 sixth-round pick

Browns receive:

Tyson Campbell
2026 seventh-round pick

Browns CB depth chart

Denzel Ward
Tyson Campbell
Myles Harden
Jarrick Bernard-Converse

Jaguars CB depth chart

Jourdan Lewis
Greg Newsome II
Jarrian Jones
Travis Hunter
Montaric Brown
Christian Braswell

NEW YORK — Nathan Lukes hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning, Louis Varland and seven Toronto Blue Jays relievers shut down the New York Yankees – allowing only six hits – for a 5-2 victory in Game 4 of the American League Division Series to advance to their first ALCS since 2016.

Game 1 of the best-of-seven ALCS is set for Sunday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, where the Blue Jays will face the Seattle Mariners or Detroit Tigers. That series is tied at two, with the deciding game to be played on Friday in Seattle.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider scraped together his staff after using eight pitchers in the 9-6 Game 3 loss, telling his group to be flexible and ready at a moment’s notice. In Game 4, none of the eight Toronto hurlers threw more than 27 pitches, and the Yankees hitters could do nothing to break through, essentially putting on a masterclass on how to operate a bullpen game.

Varland, the Game 3 loser after giving up home runs to Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm, threw 1 ⅓ innings, allowing one hit and striking out two on 20 pitches.

Once again, the Blue Jays started quickly and scored first as they had in the previous three games, and it was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doing the honors, with a single, his ninth RBI in the series, that scored George Springer, who doubled to lead off the game.

The Yankees were again in comeback mode and tied up the score in the third when Ryan McMahon hit his first career postseason home run, a solo shot to right.

Ultimately, the go-ahead run came in the fifth off of Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, who, in his last start, went eight innings, allowing no runs while striking out 12 against the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the wild-card series.

It was the Blue Jays who repeatedly put the ball in play and extended their lead when Ernie Clement and Andrés Giménez singled to start the inning, with George Springer scoring Clement on a sacrifice fly.  Schlittler, the 24-year-old rookie right-hander, allowed two runs on eight hits in 6 ⅓ innings.

Toronto got insurance runs in the seventh when Ernie Clement singled to right, his ninth hit of the series. Andrés Giménez then reached on a fielder’s choice thanks to an error by second baseman Jazz Chisholm, allowing Clement to advance to third.  Schlittler was relieved by Devin Williams, and he gave up the two-run scoring single to Lukes to extend the lead.

Pinch-hitter Myles Straw sent thousands of fans to the Yankee Stadium exits with an RBI single in the eighth. The Yankees’ last scoring threat, loading the bases with two out in the eighth, went nowhere after Austin Wells flied out.

The Yankees were attempting to dig out of a 2-0 ALDS hole – something they accomplished in 2017 –  but now face an offseason of questions, again falling short of a championship, despite having the third-highest opening day payroll in the majors.

— Scooby Axson, USA TODAY Sports

Here’s how Wednesday’s game unfolded:

Myles Straw brings in another Toronto run

Myles Straw hit a one-out RBI single in the top of the eighth against Camilo Doval to increase Toronto’s lead to 5-1. David Bednar come in to pitch and got Andres Gimenez and George Springer to strand runners on first and third.

Nathan Lukes delivers insurance for Blue Jays

Jazz Chisholm couldn’t handle a hotshot that may have been an inning-ending double play, opening the door for the Blue Jays to tack on in the seventh. Devin Williams relieved starter Cam Schlittler and struck out George Springer, but Nathan Lukes delivered a two-run single with two outs to make it 4-1 Blue Jays.

Blue Jays lead 2-1 through six

Eric Lauer intentionally walked Aaron Judge with one out and nobody on base, then got Cody Bellinger to line out to left for the second out. Yariel Rodriguez came on for Lauer and walked Giancarlo Stanton but got Jazz Chisholm to ground out and end the inning with a runner in scoring position.

Blue Jays go in front on George Springer sac fly

Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez started the top of the fifth with singles against Cam Schlitter, Clement advancing to third on the latter with nobody out. George Springer ripped a sacrifice fly to center field that brought in the go-ahead run but Schlittler limited the damage by striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with two outs.

Cam Schlittler works out of jam

Addison Barger hit a leadoff double in the top of the fourth against Cam Schlittler, but the rookie right-hander got Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho to fly out before whiffing Anthony Santander to the threat with a man on third.

Ryan McMahon home run ties it up

July acquisition Ryan McMahon hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third off lefty Mason Fluharty, tying the game 1-1. McMahon had three hits – all singles – in 12 at-bats in the 2025 postseason entering Game 3.

No perfect game today

Today is the anniversary of Don Larsen pitching the only perfect game in a World Series in 1956 as the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5, 2-0. There will be no such game in Game 4 of the ALDS, as both starters gave up hits in the first inning. Toronto’s three hits led to them taking an early 1-0 lead, while New York wasted Aaron Judge’s one-out hit, his 12th of the postseason.

Toronto starts fast again

The Blue Jays are swinging early, and George Springer got the party started with a leadoff double to left on the game’s second pitch off Yankees rookie starter Cam Schlittler, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his ninth run of the ALDS with a single. Further damage was avoided when Cody Bellinger made a spectacular sliding play for the third out, stranding two batters on base.

What time is the Yankees vs Blue Jays game today?

First pitch in Game 4 is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET.

Yankees lineup today

Trent Grisham (L) CF
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) LF
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
Austin Wells (L) C
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Ryan McMahon (L) 3B

Blue Jays lineup today

George Springer (R) DH
Nathan Lukes (L) LF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Addison Barger (L) 3B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Anthony Santander (S) RF
Ernie Clement (R) 2B
Andrés Giménez (L) SS

John Schneider’s message to pitchers for bullpen game

“Be flexible, be ready. Again, we’ve done this. A lot of teams have done this. There’s no set script. I think everyone kind of understands where they fit within their lineup, and things can change in a hurry.

‘I think (the pitching and bullpen coaches) do a really good job of communicating that with them, and I think they’ve done it enough to where they’re going to be prepared. You never know how the game’s going to start. So you can have all the best laid out plans and it changes.

‘So I think they have to be flexible and just be ready to go when the phone rings.”

Yankees vs Blue Jays prediction, odds

Aaron Boone on Yankees’ starting pitchers

‘Our rotation has been huge for us this year and especially as we really started to play well in the final six, eight weeks of the season. It started with a lot with our starting pitching, being able to give us just — whether it’s a high end max six or seven inning or whether it was a five inning. Just our starting pitching was giving us a real chance to win ball games every day.

‘That’s the nature of the postseason sometimes. It’s not going to be perfect. The other guys are really good. The other teams are really good. And the Blue Jays have done a good job against our starters here these first three games of the series.’

Bo Bichette injury update from John Schneider

‘The last three days have been pretty positive for him. He hit in our little sim game in Toronto against Max (Scherzer) and Chris (Bassitt). Running today for the first time. We’ll take it a day at a time and just listen to how he’s feeling.

‘In talking to him when he got here yesterday, I think he’s probably turned the corner a little bit in terms of making some steady progress. It wasn’t just kind of hitting in the cage, it was facing some live pitching and knowing that he was going to be running today for the first time.

‘So I think he’s making some strides, and we’ll continue to take it a day at a time.’